15^th June, 2007

You stepped into your small house, the house you lived in with your mother, father and younger brother since you were born. You looked around and happened to find your family with their heads bowed down, beside the weak body of your frail mother.

“Byul my ttal, I don’t know if your mum can live any longer,” your father spoke quietly with tears in his eyes.

Why. Why did life have to be like this? Why is it that bad things happen to good people? What reason did mum have to get this terrible illness? These were the questions that ran through your head.

“Umma!” you cried, “Please don’t go.. please, for me and for Yoogeun, live a bit longer.”

“Byul my darling daughter, whatever you do, pursue your dreams and be with someone who will love you just as you're father has loved me. I'm so sorry can’t I live through this pain anymore, so please, take good care of the family while I see you up in heaven.”

And that was the last you heard from your mother, aged 36 she was.

*2014*

You were never a spoilt girl, like those Queenka’s and Kingka’s at the high school you atteneded. You grew up with such a humble family, a family that would always be by your side. But, you were not that well off. Your family was financially unstable for many years and although your father was the owner of a dukbokki pojangmacha *(small tented restuarants/street stalls that you see in dramas), he was not able to make enough money for your family to become well off. Your brother, Yoogeun, aged 10, could of course not help support the family; however, he had the brains of a genius, a boy you know who will reach his full potential when he is a grown man!
 

Living in downtown Seoul was never an option but who knows, one day, you might be out of this place called hell. There was no joy ride in life, but there was comfort and love and happiness. These were the 3 principles your family embraced and they were what made living so worthwhile.

=====

“HEY! Watch it you!,” a drunk man yelled at you after you accidentally bumped into him in the small tent. “Sorry ajhussi!,” you said bowing your head in apology. Damn old men drinking and driving you hissed under your breath.

“Appa, let’s PLEASE not sell anymore soju! Look at all these drunkards purchasing like 10 bottles of soju without a care,” you muttered beside your father.
“But we need the money Byul, more soju means more money.” While he washed the dishes, you went off again to collect the last few bottles from the busy night. Your dad’s shop was probably one of the most renowned night food stalls in Hongdae which made you a very proud daughter. Your father was a dukbokki chef without a certificate but who cares - who said you needed to be qualified!

After finishing packing up the chairs and tables, your eyes searched for a bus with an EXO-K sign on it.

Watch us live at Seoul Arena this Saturday night. Bringing you SM TOWN’S new group, EXO-K.

Two days from now and I won’t even be able to afford the damn ticket you sighed to yourself. Your dad came around and put his arm lightly around your shoulder. “Just wait a little bit longer Byul, appa won’t forget his promise.”

“I know..”

=====

“Hey Byul!” a voice far away shouted. You looked back to find your friend Ailee running up from behind with a cheery smile on her face. “You’re early for once Ailee!”

As you and Ailee rocked up to the hallways, the Queenka’s (Apink) were all in the talk about EXO’s upcoming concert.

The leader Chorong stopped you in your tracks as they immediatelay saw you. “Hello there Byul, are you going to watch our hubbies live tomorrow night?” as sarcastic as she may seem she continued on with a smirk, “Oh wait, hmm that’s right, you can't afford the ticket.”

“Shut that mouth of your's Chorong you nasty ,” Ailee mouthed loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear.

“Enough Ailee, let’s get going.”

“COME AND WASH MY CAR LATER ON WILL YOU TWO!” Chorong stammered.

It didn’t really bother you whether you had friends or not. After being ditched by a group of betrayers in middle school, you learned your lesson well enough to avoid the pain of loneliness. But before all that, Ailee came long. Your best friend Ailee was everything. She was definitely someone to depend on through the good times and the bad. She was smart. She was a singer. She was a dancer. And she was your friend, your only friend.

Suddenly adrenaline kicked in, your heart raced and your mind went blank when you saw the Kingka’s BTOB heading towards you and Ailee’s direction.

“Look they're coming our way,” you quietly whispered to Ailee.
“Good Christ how can a group of men be so good looking,” Ailee whispered back.
“Shhhh! They’re coming Ailee. Quick, look good.”

“Hello girls,” the most handsome of them all (Hyunsik) greeted in a kind manner. Oh my, his voice could definitely melt any girl’s heart.

“Hi Hyunsik Oppa!” you and Ailee greeted back at the same time.

As you continued down the hallway to your locker 319, you suddenly felt some uneasiness lurch in your stomach. “Ailee, something isn’t right..like I don’t know, I can just feel it.”

Ailee looked at you and cocked her head to the side. “Well, I don’t know about you but after Hyunsik’s hello to us, I am feeling so damn fine today.”

As soon as you unlocked your locker, you found some nasty contents lying around in the inside. Decomposed garbage. This. IS. GREAT. Now who the hell would do such a thing FOR THE 3^RD TIME FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE. “See what I mean Ailee, no one, NO ONE, likes me.”

The locker door swung around and you found a note stuck onto it.

Your birthday present from us to you - Apink

They knew you couldn’t afford the tickets so this was their way of repaying you.

“Forget it, I am going to repay those mean, inconsiderate bastards with a taste of their own medicine,” Ailee said with a raging temper.

However, as much as you wanted to look away and cry to yourself, you couldn’t and because of what was said next, you just wanted to run.

“Wow look at EXO! They are so damn good-looking like look at Kai’s abs.”
“Wait, quiet down, beggar girl is right here, we sure don’t want to get her jealous do we Suzy?”

“Come on Byul, if they don’t have the guts to say it in your face, then I’ll make sure to effing remind them that your back isn’t a voicemail.”

You turned around furiously. “OI YOU’S, Miss A or whatever you call yourselves. I might not be living the high life like you rich and lucky s but guess what, I have a heart and a brain. You know that feeling when you get a little cut on your finger? Well my heart and brain hurts ten thousand times more than that when I hear your comments.”

“And who are you accusing beggar girl?” Min suggested.

“Next time when you want to say something, say it to my face. Sincerely, my back is not a voicemail.”

====

As school finished, you and Ailee walked home together laughing about what happened in the morning with the girls. “You don’t deserve that crap Byul,” Ailee tightly hugged you from the side.

“Oi! Did you hear? Apink’s Bomi broke up with Ilhoon AGAIN,” Ailee said with such annoyance in her voice.
 “Really?? And when was this?”
“Apparently, today. Good lord. Byul, I hope that one day when you get a boyfriend, you will not date him 5 million times.”
“What if it was Kai from EXO?”
“Then THAT…is quite an exception my friend.”

As you and Ailee walked through Hongdae, you and her made more comments about Apink and their stupidity.
“You know what Byul, you are the most gorgeous girl in Seoul and if your father, mother and I are the only ones that can see that, then everyone else must be blind, isn’t that right eomeonim?”

Ailee would always question your mother when you were brought down, and that made you so much more secure, inside and out.

5th of April - Hello readers! I've actually made some tiny changes to when I first published this in October 2013 to make it flow more easily. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story :))

- J